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H. A. FOOTHORAP. v PLATEN EQUIPMENT FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE II, I918. 1,375,749. Patented Apr. 26, 1921. 6 SHEETSSHEET I.

- INVENYOR I H..,A. FOOTHORAP. PLATEN EQUIPMENT FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11, 191B.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N 8 m U E :ZZ d /7 mi WWWm WITN W2 \J INVENTOR, m/yAJZw/w/ M Ailomzy APPLICATION FILED JUNE II. I9l8.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

e SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wi-TNESSES H. A. FOOTHORAP'.

PLATEN EQUIPMENT FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES.

PaEented Apr. 26, 1921.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11. 1918. 1,375,749.-

6 SHEETSSHEET 4.

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WI/W555i H. A. FOOTHORAP.

PLATEN EQUIPMENT FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED maul. 1918. 1 ,375,749. Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

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WITNESSES A ltorney H. A. FOOTHORAP.

PLATEN EQUIPMENT FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE H, 1918.

1,375,749. Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY ARTHUR FOOTI-IORAP, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ELLIOTT-FISHER COMPANY, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION' DELAWARE.

PLATEN EQUIPMENT FOR TYPEWRITING-MACHINES.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY ARTHUR FoorrroRAr, citlzen of the United States of America, residing at Harrisburg, in the i A 1 county of Dauphinand State of Pennsyl- Vania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Platen Equipments for Typewriting-Machines,of :which the following isa specification.v

This invention relates to a novel platen equipment for typewriting machines, and more particularly to a novel arrangement of work holding and impression transferring elements designed to facilitate certain classes of work such as condensed statement,

3 toll slip and other forms of billing, as for mechanism disclosed in said copending application asis necessary to the understanding of the features of the invention claimed herein is shown and described in the present application. For a complete description of the mechanism herein shown and its asso-= ciated parts reference may be had to said copending application.

One of the objects of the invention is to so combine and arrange a platen and a plurality of transfer mediums or web sections that the same may be brought into intimate relation with each other and with a plurality of work elements or expeditiously separated to facilitate the displacement, replacement or adjustment of the work sheets.

Another object is to place under control of the operators foot the manipulation of parts necessary to the accomplishment of the object first stated, to the end that the operator may be left-the greatest possible freedom for the manipulation of the work sheets.

To the accomplishment of the above recited objects and others which will more fully hereinafter appear, one embodiment of the invention resides in the construction and Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

. 7 Original application filed February 6, 1911, Serial No. 606,933. Divided and 11, 1918. Serial No. 239,468.

this application filed June arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the-following specification, and succinctly defined in the appended claims.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a platen constructed arranged and equipped in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing more particularly the relation of the platen and ribbon in the normal or elevated position of the platen also the means for depressin and raising the platen.

ig. 4 is a longitudinal section on a larger scale of the platen with the parts in the normal or writing position.

Fig. 5 is a similar View showing the platen dropped to space the transfer sections from each other and from the platen to facilitate replacement of the work sheets.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the platen arrested after a limited depression.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1, looking toward the rear.

Fig. 8 is a similar view on the line 88 of Fig. 1 looking toward the front.

Fig. 9 is a'sectional view of one of the ribbon rolls and its mounting, a portion of the parts being broken away to facilitate illustration.

Fig. 10 is a transverse section designed to show more particularly the arrangement of the work sheets and ribbon.

Fig. 11 is a section through the front of the platen frame designed to show the rela tion of certain parts.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the platen operating treadle.

Fig. 13 is a sectional View of the platen operating treadle with the partslocked-in normal position. 7

Fig. 14 is a similar view of the treadle locked in its depressed position.

The machine here shown for illustrative purposes is what is known to commerce as the Elliott-Fisher fiat platen typewriter exemplified in Patent No. 573,868.

In general the Elliott-Fisher machine embraces a flat platen associated with which i are tracks or guides upon which travel, longitudinally of the platen, a machine frame upon which in turn is mounted a laterally movable carriage which supports key operated printing mechanism arranged to control the movementofthe carriage through the medium of an escapement in a manner well understood in the art. Letter spacing is effected by the movement of the carriage on the machine frame and the lines OfTVI Tt" ing are spaced by moving the frame step by step over the platen.

For" the purposes of. .the present disclosure, the machine proper including keys, printing mechanism, etc., has been entirely omitted, not being claimed in this application.

The platen frame, as a whole, is indicated at 1. In the present instance this frame comprises side plates 2 provided at their tops with tracks or guides 3 with which the inachineframe of atypewriter is intended tocoact for line spacing. The side plates 2 are connected by front and rear transverse plates 4: and 5, considerably narrower than the side plates 2 and having their upper edges in a plane somewhat below that of the tracks. In addition to the side and end plates 2, 4: and 5, the frame also includes in the present instance a-pair of inner side plates 6 each located adjacent to but somewhatremoved from the plates 2 and secured at their ends to the end plates 4 and 5. The inner side plates 6 are somewhat narrower than the end plates and have their upper edges flush with the upper edges of the latter, the inner side plates and the end plates eonstituting a rectangular frame located within the confines of the platen frame proper and dropped somewhat below the upper edge thereof.

Upon this inner frame is designed to rest in its depressed position a vertically movable flat platen 7, see Fig. 5, which may and preferably does comprise a metal base 7 having a hard rubber or other suitable coveringY". The platen 7 is of considerably less length than the platen frame and is of sufficient width to extend through the side plates 2 which are cut out to accommodate it, as shown in Figs. 4: to 6, and 10. The right hand margin of the platen terminates practically flush with the outer surface of the platen frame, but the left hand edge of the platen is extended considerably beyond the platen frame, and is equipped with a margin guide or gauge 8 to facilitate the positioning of a work sheet 9, see Fig. 10, ordinarily known as the master sheet. The gage 8 is formed of metal and comprises an abutment 10 and a guard flange "11, the latter extending over and guarding the edge of the sheet positioned on the platen by the abutment. While this gage may be permanently secured to the platen,

it is preferably detachably retained. by set screws 8.

The platen 7 is designed to have considerable vertical movement while retaining its true horizontal posltlon. The extent of this movement is shown by a comparison of Figs. 4 and 5 wherein it will be seen that upper edges of the inner side bars 6 of the frame. The platen is supported by an arrangement of levers similar to those employed in lazy tongs. I V

epending from the platen adjacent to its respective corners are bearings 12. Between the two front bearings extends a shaft 13 fromwhich in turn are extended a pair of inclined platen supporting levers it having their rear ends carried by a shaft 15 afforded bearings in the rear ends of the inner frame bars 6, see Figs/2 and 3. To the rear bearings 16 are pivoted, by stud shafts or screws 17 a pair of inclined levers 18 having their front ends carried by a transverse shaft 19 afforded bearings adjacent to the front ends of the bars 6. At the intersection of the oppositely inclined bars 14 and 18, said bars are connected by a transverse shaft 20 from which depend a pair of connecting rods 21 having their lower ends connected, as indicated in Fig. 2, to a treadle 22 mounted to swing from a fixed support, as for instance one of the frame bars 23, of the metal tal le upon which the platen frame is usually supported. The platen is urged toward its elevated position by springs 2 having their upper ends secured to brackets 25 fixed to the frame bars 6 and having their lower ends attached to brackets 26 secured to the connecting rods 21, an additional spring 27 extended from a fixed part 28 being secured, if desired, to a cross bar 29 extended between the connecting rods 21. r

The treadle is conveniently located for operation by the foot of the machine operator who, by depressing the triadic 22, will swing the platen supporting levers 14: and 18 through the connecting rods 21 and thus depress the platen from its normal position shown in Fig. l to its depressed position shown in Fig. Upon the release of the pressure upon the treadle 22 the springs 2-iand 27 will restore the platen to its normal or elevated writing position, incidentally clamping the paper between the platen and the under sides of the rails.

It is desirable to have the locking means under the control of the operators foot. T therefore equip the treadle 22 with two locking bails 80 and 31, one bail serving to lock the platen in its elevated position and the other serving to lock the platen when depressed. The bails S0 and 31 are mount ed to swing from a rod 32 extended across 7 mal elevated position the latch 34 of the lockingbail 30 will extend over the latch bar 36 thus preventing the platen from being accidentally depressed in the event of a weight being imposed thereon. When the operator desires to depress the platen, however, he placeshis foot on the locking bail 30 and by a continuous movement first operates the bail to withdraw the latch 34 and to then depress the treadle 22 and with it the platen. Then the treadle has been thus depressed the latch 35 of the locking bail 31 will engage the under side of the latch bar 36 thus locking the treadle in its depressed position.

The operator may now manipulate the work sheets and when he is ready to restore the parts to normal posltion, it is simply necessary for him to depress the bail 31 with his foot, thus releasing the treadle and allowing the springs 24 and 27 to restore the platen and treadle to their elevated positions where they are automatically locked by the latch 34 and the bail 30.

Under certain conditions, as for instance in making out toll slips, or where it is not necessary to remove or adjust the master sheet, it is sometimes desirable to limit the depression of the platen and to avoid the automatic locking of the latter in depressed position. To accomplish this result a pair of pivoted platen stops 38 are mounted on the inner sides of the frame plates 2 and are held in either of two positions by springs 39, the movement of the stops on tl'lBlI'aXGS being limited by stop pins 40. By reference to Figs 4 and 5 it will be seen that the platen stops 38 are normally held in inoperative position, but if desired these stops may be swung to the position shown in Fig. 6 to arrest the downward movement of the platen about midway of its normal movement. When the platen. is thus arrested by the stops 38 the treadle 22 will not have droppedsuiiiciently to allow the catch 35 to engage under the bar 36. Consequently when the platen stops are in use the platen willnot be lockeddown and will immediately rise when the pressure on the treadle is relieved.

For the purpose of transferring the impression made upon the top layer of the folded form to the lower layer of said form and to the base sheet I provide an endless rollers 43 and 44 to impart 'bon is similarly disposed between the lower or duplicate sheet of the form and the subjacentor master sheet 9. It will therefore appear that when matter is imprinted upon the bill sheet the record will be transferred through the upper section of the ribbon to the lower sheet of the folded form and through the lower section of the ribbon to the ledger sheet.

It will be noted by reference to F ig. 4 that when the parts are in their normal or writing positions, the platen 7 i is sufficiently elevated to clamp the work sheets or elements against the under sides of the rails and that the writing surface of the platen is sufli iently elevated With respect to the a downward inclination to those portions of the ribbon which extend to the rolls from the opposite ends of the platen. Furthermoreit will be noted that when the platen is dropped, as shown in Fig. 5, it will recede from the ribbon and that the horizontal sections of said ribbon will recede from each other, thus effecting a relative separation of the ribbon sections and platen to facilitate displacement and replacement of the work elements.

In order to minimize the depression of the platen necessary to effect this separation of the ribbon sections and the complete recession of the platen therefrom the lower section guide rolls 45 and 46 are 10- cated just beyond the oppositeends of the platen and with their upper surfaces somewhat elevated with respect to the lower sides of the rollers 43 and 44. These rollers '45 and 46 constitute supports for the lower section or element 6 when the platen is de pressed, as illustrated in Fig. 5. These guide rollers 45 and 46 have their left hand ends journaled in the adjacent side plates of the platen frame and their right band 7 ends are journaled in bearings 47 supported by the transverse members 4 and 5, see Figs. 1, v7 and 8. Obviously the dropping of the platen will create slack in the ribbon and it is equally obvious that this slack must be taken up and the-horizontal sections of the ribbon held taut in order to properly facilirecede and thus take up any slack which may be produced in the ribbon from any cause. Each of the rollers l3 and 44.- is mounted to rotate freely on a shaft 48 or 49, each shaft having at its opposite ends fixed pinions 5t) engaging the under sides of short stationary racks 51, see Figs. l, 7, 8 and 9, the extremities of said shafts restingin longitudinal slots 52 in the side plates of the platen frame. The shafts d8 and l9 are constantly urged in opposite directions by springs 53 and 54; secured at their outer ends to pins 55 projecting from one of the side plates of the platen frame and having their inner ends coiled about and secured to the shafts 48 and a9, see Figs. 1, 2, 7

'- and 8.

The construction and arrangement of the ribbon and platen as thus far described is original with me, but the drawings disclose,

which, when in effective engagement with the roller l l, dogs said roller against rotary movement in one direction, to wit the direction of the dotted arrow in Fig. 4. Thedog 56 is mounted on a dog carrier 57 mounted to rock on the shaft d9 and having a straight top face 58 which is normally disposed at a slight angle with respect to the under side of the adjacent rail 3 with "which said dog carrier is designed tocontact when rocked upon the shaft 49. Similarly, the rear guide roll 46 is dogged against rotary movement in the direction of the dotted arrow in Fig, 4: by aspiring urged dog 59, said roll being free to rotate in the opposite dircction. The inner or front end of the dog 59 is extended somewhat to bring it within the path of the downward movement of the platen 7 in order that said dog will be en-{ gaged and moved to its releasing position as said platen approaches'the downward limit of its movement see Fig. 5. When the platen moves downward from its normal position, shown in Fig. 4, it will first reach the horizontal plane. in which the upper sides of the ribbon rollers are located. Continued movement of the platen will then cause the lower ribbon section b to separate from the upper ribbon section a, the slack produced being taken up by the recession'of the ribbon rollers in accordance with my in vention. The upper surface of the platen will then reach the horizontal plane in which the upper sides of the guide rollers 45 and 46 are located and the lower ribbon section will be sustained by said guides while the platen continues its downward movement- 7 bon.

tr under s de the r. thus arresting rtl 11101 in; of the c er and rendering HlllfG the action of the dog to; prevent ary mo ement of the roller i l in the indicated direction.

-During the suc platen the lower 1 from the upper sectio SllCli which n'nist be taken up. Vi e have seen, however that the roll 4-ihas become automatically locked against further rotary movement in the direction of the arrow. lllhereiiore, as th n continues to recezie, the roller t becomes, in effect, a directconnec ion ten tl e rear end of the upper section of the ribbon and the spring Said spring will therefore take up the sla l: duced in the ribbon, by drawing theroll ell laterally, thereby taking up the slack occa. ioned in those portions of the ribbon l -qing the opposite ends of the platen and the two rolls l3 and between the platen a d the roll being drawn and said roll. The power of the two spri l and 542 ing equal, the elfect locking the rear roller 4-; is that of a connection with the rear end of the up; ribbon section which continues around the front roll and is, in elfect, anchored to the pl: n and to the guide roll a6 by the lrzction between the ribbon and said elements. I "llhereforc, upon the locking of the roller al in "the manner described, the spring overbulances the spring 58, in accordance with the well known principle of the movabhdpulley, and during the rearward movement of the roller ceeding movement of the bbon section will recede i1, subsequent to the locking thei of against rotary movement, the spring 54F. takes up the slack in the ribbon as stated. During this action the front rollers? has no bodily movement, but rotates on a temporarily stationary axis, as the ribbon is drawn around it. 'As the platen continues to recede there will be no slacking off the ribbon, since the lower section of the latter will rest on the guide rolls and the only effect of the platen movement will be to cause said platen and the sheet imposed thcreon to drop away from the ribrelease the dog 59.

The rear spring 54 having now lost the advantage which it gained over the spring 58, will now be overbalanced by the spring the slaclc Finally, the platen will engage and and create additional on which will caus'ethe further recession of the fro;

ribbon roller as from the platen,

thus --ougn the mediumof the ribbon drawing the rear ribbon roller s4 toward the two rollers equidistant from the position'occupied by them at the beginning of the operation. The longitudinal feed'of the ribbon will no'wha've been effected and the parts will be in the positions indicated in Fig. 5.

The provision for taking up the slack in the ribbon in manner to effect an endwise feed thereof is not claimed herein, since the same is the invention of Eugene R. G011 and is described in his Patent No. 1,094,629.

The specific construction of the ribbon rollore is not considered material, but by preference they comprise two flanged hubs 60 to which are secured the opposite ends of a surrounded by a rubber or other suitable covering 62, the sleeve, covering and hubs being united by set screws 63. Each roller is confined against endwise movement by a set collar 64.

It is thought that from the foregoing, the construction and operation of the described embodiment of my invention will be clearly understood, but. I wish distinctly to reserve the rightto effect such changes, modifications or variations of the illustrated structure as mayfall fairly within the scope. of the protection prayed.

What I claim is: p

1. The combination with a flat platen adapted to have web sections disposed thereover, of means for effecting movement of the platen, and means for causing a separation of the web sections from each other and from the platen on the movement of said platen.-

2. The combination with a platen adapted to have transfer elements disposed there over. and supports for the transfer elements, said, platen, transfer elements and supports being relatively movable to bring the transfer elements and platen into close relation and to effect a separation of the transfer elements from each other and from the platen.

3. The combination with a vertically movable flat platen, with which a plurality of transfer elements are adapted to be associated, separate supports for the transfer elements. the supports for the respective elements being located in different horir'ontal planes and beyond the confines of the platen, said platen and supports being relativelymovable in a vertical direction to bring the transfer elements and platen into intimate relation or to separate the platen from'the transfer elements and permit the latter to be sustained in separated relation by the supports.

4. The combination with a vertically movable platen, of two sets of supports located in different horizontal planes, to respectively carry transfer elements that extend between the supports of each set, said platen being movable toward and from a higher plane than the supports for the uppermost transfer element.

5. The combination with a platen for a plurality of transfer elements, of guides, said guides being arranged to disposethe transfer elements over the platen and in separated relation with respect to each other and said platen being movable between the guides to lift one transfer element toward the other.

6. The combination with a flat platen, with which an endless transfer web is adapted to be associated having upper and lower sections disposed over the platen, and guiding means for the transfer web, said guiding means being wholly located beyond opposite edges of the platen and said platen and web sections having relative separative movement.

7. The combination with guiding means for an endless web, of a platen associated with the web, the platen and web guiding means being relatively movable in a vertical direction to separate the web and platen.

8. The combination with guiding means for an endless web, of a vertically movable platen associated with the guiding means for the web to effect separative movement of the web and platen.

9. The combination with a pair of Web rolls for an endless web, of a vertically movable platen arranged to coact with the web intermediate of the rolls.

10. The combination with a platen, of means for guiding two horizontal, web sections over the platen, and tension mechanism for such web.

11. The combination with a platen, of a pair of rollers for carrying an endless transfer web having its upper and lower sections extended between the rollers and over the platen. and reactive means tending to urge the rollers apart.

12. The combination with a vertically movable platen, of rollers mounted inde pendently of the platen for carrying an endless transfer web over the platen, and reactive means tending to impart relative movement to the rollers to keep the transfer web taut.

13. The combination with a vertically movable platen, of a pair of rollers located beyond opposite limits of the platen for carrying an endless transfer Web having upper and lower sections disposed above the platen, and guides for the lower section of the transfer web.

14. The combination with a stationary support, of rollers mounted therein for carrying an endless transfer web extended around the rollers and having horizontal upper and lower web sections, guides for the lower web section, a platen vertically movable and coacting with the web to bring the sections thereof together, said platen being also movable in the opposite direction to permit the separation of the web sections from each other and to remove the platen from the lower web section.

15. The combination with a stationary support, of rollers mounted therein for carrying an endless transfer web extended around the rollers and having horizontal upper and lower web sections, guides for the lower web section, a platen vertically movable and coacting with the web to bring the sections thereof together, said platen being also movable in the opposite direction to permit the separation of the web sections from each other and to remove the platen from the lower Web section, and reactive means tending to effect relative separativ movement of the rollers to keep the transfer web taut. V

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY ARTHUR FOOTHORAP.

Witnesses J. T. CULVERWELL, MARSHALL H. DnAN. 

